This invention relates to articles of clothing worn in conjunction with various types of contact sports such as martial arts, including kick boxing, TaeKwonDo, fencing, boxing, and so forth. This invention also relates to detection systems for detecting and measuring vibrations such as weight measurement, perimeter intrusion detection, safety and security fencing, and other applications in which a force or a vibration is used to generate a detectable signal.
Prior publications forming the subject matter herein concerns the use of piezo film technical data sheets published by Measurement Specialties, Incorporated of Valley Forge, Pa. Additionally, the use of piezo film to sense impact in sporting and athletic devices is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,107. Also disclosed in a somewhat more limited extent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,880.
In combative sports such as boxing, martial arts such as kick boxing, dueling weapons such as fencing, and so forth, athletes compete in a duel. The object is to strike blows and score points while preventing an opponent from doing the same. Typically, points are awarded in these competitions to athletes who successfully deliver a legal blow to targets illustrated on designate parts or location on athletic gear such as articles of clothing. At the end of the competition, generally determined by the passage of a specific time frame, the athlete with the most points is declared the winner.
In TaeKwonDo, the athletes score points by delivering accurate “trembling” force blows to designated locations on an opponent's athletic gear through various kicking techniques. To protect athlete injuries from these blows, an athlete wears protective equipment, such as a helmet and a protective vest, on which are designated the locations on the opponent's body “legal” targets for kick-delivered impacts. Competition judges award points based on their observation of a competitor's impact delivery.
Currently, the ruling in this sport for issuance of legitimate points is the deliverance of a “trembling shock” observed by the judges as legal kicking techniques. Any other technique besides kicking is considered invalid, with the exception of a referee awarding a point to a punching technique that is deemed as good as a kick.
Although there are strict rules and regulations that govern a match, there are many shortcomings in the current scoring method, namely: 1. The observation of a “trembling shock” is qualities and subjective, and makes the definition relative and inconsistent. 2. Frequently, scoring is confusing to the players and spectators. 3. The threshold of the magnitude of an impact differs from competition to competition, which furthers the confusion of the combatants and spectators. Even within the same competition, the scoring methods differ from match to match and ring to ring, depending on interpretation of rules by the judges. 4. There is a lack of accuracy in judging due to the inability of the judges to visually keep up with the speed and position of the combatants to enable accurate and decisive observations. 5. Due to the difference in size of the combatants, the magnitude of an impact required to generate a “trembling shock” differs between age groups and weight classes, causing difficulty in judging, leading to inconsistency in scoring. 6. Judges have no way to monitor excessive force, which may cause a major injury during competition and hence the knowledge of which is useful for post-evaluation of a serious injury.
Additionally, it has been found that training for effective martial arts can be more effective with the addition of the following features:
1. Accurate measurement of the magnitude of an impact delivered by an athlete to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness of various techniques. 2. An accurate determination of the source of a technique which generated an impact. The source can be evaluated to determine the validity of the technique, while the impact determines the quality of the technique. The combination of source and impact can be used to determine a valid score. 3. During practice sparring, accurate measurement of valid techniques is important to evaluate an athlete's performance as well as to provide conditions which represent a true competitive environments. 4. Given an ability to quantitatively measure shock requirements, the athletes can monitor and optimize techniques to obtain valid points most effectively.
Accordingly, it is a principal objective of this invention to provide an article of clothing and athletic gear worn by a combatant that functions to indicate an impact delivered to a “legal” location on the body of a combatant delivered by a combatant's proper kicking technique.
Another object of this invention is to provide a detection system for recording the magnitude of the force imposed by an impact, and the legitimacy of the location at which the force is applied in relation to a combatant's body.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means and method for determining the source of the technique causing an impact. This is useful in sports requiring the distinction between a kicking technique, hand technique, elbow or other actions causing an impact.
Still another object of this invention is provide a means and method for adjustment of and setting of a threshold force that will activate equipment to account for the size and age of combatants during competition, or the appropriate threshold level during training sessions.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a means and method for indicating and recording the status of an impact on a combatant in terms of location of the impact and the intensity of force of the impact.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method and means to transmit to a control station data relating to the status of impacts delivered to a combatant for recording and display as an aid to judges when scoring legitimate points for the combatants.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method and means to facilitate the application of garments required to meet the functional objectives that are described, supra, that provide improved comfort level for the athletes wearing the equipment.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for detecting impact and contact of weapons to weapon, and weapon to body during martial arts competition with simulated weapons. Currently, in martial arts competition or training using weapons, there are no realistic ways to determine valid techniques to keep track of a winner or loser.